Home Office

Economic Crime

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Page 75 of the Government's Economic Crime Plan 2023-2026 published on 30 March 2023, how many of the extra 475 full time equivalent staff dedicated to economic crime will be deployed to (a) the National Crime Agency, (b) the City of London Police, (c) Regional Organised Crime Units, (d) HMRC, (e) the Crown Prosecution Service Proceeds of Crime Division and (f) other divisions or agencies.

Tom Tugendhat: The extra FTE staff dedicated to economic crime will be deployed as follows:(a) National Crime Agency: 198(b) the City of London Police: 34(c) Regional Organised Crime Units: 115(d) HMRC: 15(e) the Crown Prosecution Service Proceeds of Crime Division: 72(f) other divisions or agencies: 41There will also be an additional 400 new posts created across the National Fraud Squad.

Migrants: Albania

Zarah Sultana: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the impact of her Department's policies on Albanian people in (a) Coventry South constituency and (b) nationally, and what steps she is taking to help ensure they feel safe in their communities

Robert Jenrick: The UK continues to welcome those who travel to the UK legally to work and continue to British society.Since 2015, we have offered a safe and legal route to the UK to almost half a million individuals seeking safety, as well as the family members of refugees. Of course, we will seek to return those migrants who have no legal right to be here.

Migrants: Portland

Richard Drax: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consultation her Department conducted with (a) Dorset Council, (b) local NHS, police and fire services, (c) other statutory local agencies and (d) the hon. Member for South Dorset before signing the contract with Portland Port for asylum accommodation.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office met with the Dorset council and other key stakeholders before signing the contract. We continue to work closely with the NHS, police, fire service and other statutory agencies to develop bespoke plans that take account of local environmental issues, heritage and any risks associated with the site in order to address local concerns and to ensure that we minimise any potential impact on the local area.

UK Visas and Immigration: Applications

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the accessibility of UK Visas and Immigration Service online application forms.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office has made an assessment and we anticipate publishing this shortly.

UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services: Fees and Charges

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions was an incorrect fee charged for an application via the UKVCAS website in the last 12 months.

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many refunds applied for due to an incorrect fee being charged via the UKVCAS website were processed (a) within 10 days and (b) in excess of 10 days in the last twelve months.

Robert Jenrick: This data is not held in a reportable fashion as there is no complaint or refund categorisation for an incorrect fee being charged via the UKVCAS website.The fees charged on the UKVCAS website are automatically calculated when the customer selects an appointment or an added value service, based on the price they are shown at booking. The circumstances where a refund is due to a customer are laid out in the UKVCAS terms and conditions, which customers are instructed to read and agree to before booking an appointment.Some refunds are automatically activated, such as where a customer cancels an appointment more than 48 hours in advance, and some are done manually, such as where a refund is given due to poor service following a complaint. There are some occasions where a customer may be given a refund as a goodwill gesture, despite it not being due under the terms and conditions.

Illegal Migration Bill: Habeas Corpus

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has sought legal advice on the compatibility of the provisions of the Illegal Migration Bill with habeas corpus.

Robert Jenrick: Any legal advice received by the Home Office is subject to legal professional privilege and, as such, we do not comment on legal advice that may or may not have been sought or received.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Russia: Sanctions

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of UK sanctions against Russia.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: Sanctions are proving effective. They have sent Russia into recession, significantly degrading the building blocks for Russia's long-term growth and Putin's ability to fund his war machine. Russia's budget is in deficit and by March it had already spent 81 per cent of its forecast GDP deficit in 2023. Russia is now cut off from Western financial markets and service sectors, constraining growth and productivity. By sanctioning products found on the battlefield, Russia is forced to source lower quality substitutes elsewhere, where they are often less capable and liable to failure. We continue monitor the effectiveness of all of our sanctions.

Hong Kong: Pensions

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the decision of the Chinese government to freeze the pensions of Hongkongers with British passports; and if she will make a statement.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: We are aware of the difficulties British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) passport holders are experiencing in seeking early withdrawal of their pension held by the Mandatory Provident Fund in Hong Kong. The root of the problem is the Chinese Government's decision not to recognise the British National (Overseas) passport. The UK firmly opposes the discrimination against BN(O)s in this way. We have urged the Hong Kong authorities to facilitate the early withdrawal of funds as is the case for other Hong Kong residents who move overseas permanently. I raised this issue with Christopher Hui, Hong Kong Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury on 18 April and pressed for a pragmatic solution.

British Indian Ocean Territory: Ilois

Rosie Duffield: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made a recent assessment of the viability of members of the Chagossian community returning to the Chagos Islands.

David Rutley: We recognise this is an important issue for many Chagossians.We are not in a position to provide detail on the content of ongoing negotiations on the exercise of sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory/Chagos Archipelago or speculate on possible outcomes.

Development Aid: Health Services

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to help ensure that the World Bank’s Pandemic Fund is used to ensure that healthcare facilities worldwide have adequate access to water, sanitation, and hygiene.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK has committed £25 million to the new Pandemic Fund, launched by the World Bank. A priority for the UK is ensuring that the Pandemic Fund helps strengthen health systems in low-income countries - vital as these are for pandemic prevention and response, but also for addressing the health priorities of countries outside of a pandemic. As part of this, the UK recognises and advocates for the critical importance of adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene services in health systems. The first round of funding from the Pandemic Fund has yet to issue - the UK will take part in the upcoming Board discussions that will determine the disbursement of this funding.

Development Aid: Disability

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish a list of the disability-inclusive activities in each of his Department’s development programmes in (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2023-24.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The level to which FCDO development programme teams and implementing partners record and track specific disability-inclusive activities varies according to the scale of those activities. However, it would be disproportionately burdensome for partners and programme teams to collect information about individual disability-inclusive activities centrally.The disability-inclusion policy marker for each FCDO development programme is publicly available through the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) creditor reporting system (CRS).

Somaliland: Development Aid

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken steps to allocate Official Development Assistance to people displaced by violence in Las Anod.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The humanitarian impact of the ongoing fighting in Las Anod has been severe with more than 180,000 people displaced from their homes. We are closely monitoring the situation and providing a range of support. The UK-supported Start Fund is delivering through Oxfam to provide support to displaced households. Over 1,200 families will receive two months of food assistance, and 2,330 households will receive support to access emergency water supplies. We have also pivoted funding to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to provide needed dignity and menstrual hygiene kits to almost 5,000 women and girls displaced by the fighting in Las Anod. Our health programme delivered through UNICEF is also working in the regions hosting displaced people, providing essential health and nutrition support.

Development Aid: Disability

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the oral Answer by the Minister of State (Development and Africa) of 31 January 2023, Official Report, column 203, what the evidential basis is for the statement that more than a third of all development programmes now contain disability-inclusive activities; and with reference to the Written Statement of 30 March 2023, FCDO Programme Allocations, HCWS705, whether he plans that that figure will be maintained in 2023-24.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: As at the end of 2021, almost 35 per cent of FCDO development programmes contained deliberate disability-inclusive activities.FCDO development programme teams are required to make an assessment of whether each programme undertakes deliberate disability-inclusive activities. The assessment is based on the criteria laid out in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) disability inclusion policy marker handbook.We have committed to tracking the number of programmes marked as containing disability-inclusive activities in the disability inclusion and rights strategy 2022-2023, published in February 2022.

Malawi: Women

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken to tackle (a) period poverty and (b) women's health inequality in Malawi

Mr Andrew Mitchell: UK funded programmes, which were delivered through the Campaign for Female Education, provided direct support to 12,436 disadvantaged girls to help them stay in school and succeed. Our health programming in Malawi has a strong focus on women's health and supports progress on (i) maternal and child health in hard-to-reach areas and (ii) improving access for women to family planning services.

Development Aid: Water

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, in which countries the UK is playing an active role in promoting water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure as part of a functional healthcare system.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The FCDO recognises the importance of ensuring that all healthcare facilities have reliable water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services. We support this goal through our membership of the WASH In Healthcare Facilities International Taskforce, and we push forward this agenda through our programmes including a hand-hygiene partnership with Unilever. We also support WASH in health facilities in Malawi through the 'Our Health' programme and in Nepal through the Resilient WASH and Emergency Preparedness Programme.

Malawi: Development Aid

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken recent steps to help support economic development in Malawi.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK Government continue to explore areas we can support Malawi's reform agenda, including on anti-corruption and inclusive sustainable economic development that supports the poorest. Our new Malawi Trade and Investment Programme will launch this year and will aim to stimulate a step change in Malawi's growth by promoting higher value export sectors, cutting time and costs of trade and logistics, raising international and domestic investment in new exports, and creating jobs and income opportunities.

Ethiopia: Peace Negotiations

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the political parties in Ethiopia about developing a peace settlement in that country.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Foreign Secretary welcomed the November 2022 peace agreement between the Ethiopian Government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front, when he visited Ethiopia in December. We further welcome the commitment in the peace agreement to create a comprehensive national transitional justice policy and call for this to be fully implemented as part of the deal. We continue to support the mandate of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia. We are providing £4.5 million to help build the capacity of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission through the UK's Human Rights and Peacebuilding programme, including to enhance its investigative capacity and improve the availability and accessibility of services for survivors of gender-based violence.

Malawi: Development Aid

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to help tackle (a) income inequality and (b) youth unemployment in Malawi.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK Government supports Malawi in tackling low economic growth, which involves tackling reducing income inequality and youth unemployment. Our new Malawi Trade and Investment Programme will launch this year and aims to stimulate a step change in Malawi's growth by promoting higher value and export sectors, cutting time and costs of trade and logistics, raising international and domestic investment in new exports, and creating jobs. On income inequality, our Building Resilience and Adapting to Climate Change programme is contributing to a reduction in extreme poverty and ending the recurrent cycle of hunger and humanitarian assistance in Malawi.

Development Aid: Water

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the report Prevention First by the APPGs on Antibiotics and on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, published in February 2023, if he will ring-fence a portion of the annual overseas aid budget for investment in water, sanitation, and hygiene in healthcare facilities.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The FCDO welcomes the recent 'Prevention First' report on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and antibiotic resistance. We have ensured that action on WASH is included in the UK's action plan for antimicrobial resistance. We do not plan to add a ring-fence specifically for WASH in healthcare facilities but we are taking action. For example, through UK funding to the Hygiene and Behaviour Change Coalition 14,800 health care facilities were supported with critical WASH supplies and services, and 460,000 health workers were trained on hygiene practices. Also, as a founding member of the WASH in Healthcare Facilities international taskforce, the FCDO works with partners to promote better hygiene, infection prevention and reducing the risks of antimicrobial resistance.

India: Human Rights

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his (a) Indian counterpart and (b) other international counterparts on alleged (i) internet and mobile suspensions, (ii) arbitrary arrests and (iii) other human rights abuses and the suspension of civil liberties in India.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: The UK Government has a broad and deep partnership with the Government of India and we discuss all elements of our relationship. We remain committed to championing democracy and human rights around the world. Where we have issues, we raise them directly with the Government of India, including at Ministerial level.  The Minister for South Asia, Lord [Tariq] Ahmad of Wimbledon, regularly speaks to the High Commissioner of India. Human rights and civil liberties forms part of that dialogue. Our networks across India regularly meet civil society groups and run projects promoting human rights.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Alternative Fuel Payments: Holiday Accommodation

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether operators of (a) AirBnB and (b) holiday homes are eligible for the £150 non-domestic alternative fuel payment.

Amanda Solloway: Operators of Airbnb and holiday homes in Great Britain are eligible for the £150 Non-domestic Alternative Fuel Payment if they are situated in an off gas grid postcode, have a non-domestic contract with their electricity supplier, and have an active and energised electricity meter with positive energy usage. Each customer is eligible for one payment per unique address.

Solar Power: Housing

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department have taken to provide (a) guidance and (b) advice to companies providing leases for solar panels on residential homes.

Graham Stuart: The Government is aware that there are schemes which allow homeowners to lease their roof space in exchange for free solar panels under commercial 'rent a roof' schemes. However, as the various marketing approaches and offers that commercial ‘rent a roof’ companies employ are not part of Government schemes, the Government does not prescribe how such arrangements should work.

Fuel Poverty: Newport West

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of the number of families in fuel poverty living in Newport West constituency.

Amanda Solloway: Fuel poverty is devolved. Modelled estimates for fuel poverty in Wales can be found through: www.gov.wales/fuel-poverty-modelled-estimates-wales-headline-results-october-2021-html

District Heating: Fees and Charges

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the increases in the cost of living on affordability of communal heating charges.

Amanda Solloway: The Government has recognised that increases in the cost of living have impacted the bills paid by heat network consumers. The Government has therefore introduced the Energy Bills Discount Scheme, and previously the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, which support heat networks. Bills will vary depending on consumption levels, network efficiency, and other variables. The table below estimates the variable gas cost element of a bill for a customer consuming 7,000 kWh of heat on a gas heat network. It includes the impact of gas prices and government support schemes. Costs such as maintenance and standing charges have not been included. Time periodEstimated annualised heat network heat bill (7,000 kWh of heat, fuel cost only)April 2023 - June 2023  Energy Bill Discount Scheme supporting heat networks.£861October 2022 – March 2023  Energy Bill Relief Scheme supporting heat networks.£1,037March 2022 – September 2022  No government support scheme in place for heat networks.£968

Energy Bills Rebate: Travellers

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps the Government is taking to support Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people with the impact of rises in the cost of living; and whether those groups are eligible for support under (a) the Energy Bills Support Scheme-Alternative Funding and (b) the Alternative Fuels Payment.

Amanda Solloway: As part of the application process for these schemes, the Government require applicants to show proof of address, such as a tenancy agreement or a utility bill, to protect public funds against fraud. The Government understand that some Gypsy and Traveller households may not be able provide this evidence, which means they won’t currently be able to receive the EBSS AF or the AFP AF. Officials are working to establish whether there is a robust method for them to provide proof of eligibility, whilst protecting public funds, so they can receive support.

Department for Education

Social Workers: Training

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of (a) training and (b) guidance provided to social workers to support (i) fathers, (ii) mothers and (iii) other guardians of children.

Claire Coutinho: ​​The social work regulator, Social Work England, sets the education and training standards which all providers of initial social work education must meet, including preparing social workers to meet the Professional Standards. The current cycle of initial education inspection is expected to be completed by July 2025.Once social workers are qualified, guidance on supporting fathers, mothers and guardians is provided in the statutory guidance ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’.Local authorities are responsible for the continuous professional development of their workforces, including social workers. To support child and family social workers to continuously improve their practice, the department funds professional development for around 4,000 social workers each year. The new Early Career Framework for child & family social workers will significantly extend the training and support they receive in the early stages of their career, helping to equip them with the knowledge skills they need to support children and families.

Schools: Defibrillators

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many defibrillators have been delivered to state funded schools in (a) Stockport constituency and (b) Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council in 2023.

Nick Gibb: On 20 January 2023, the Department announced that the first deliveries of defibrillators had taken place. More information on the announcement can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/defibrillator-deliveries-begin-for-all-schools-that-need-one.​Since this announcement, as part of the ongoing rollout, over 3,900 defibrillators have been delivered to state funded schools.​As of 26 April 2023, 2 defibrillators have been delivered to state funded schools in the Stockport constituency and 12 to schools in Stockport Local Authority. All eligible schools in Stockport are expected to receive a defibrillator by the end of the 2022/23 academic year. Schools will be contacted by the supplier, Lyreco, once their defibrillator has been dispatched.​

Prisoners: Travellers

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies of the recommendations of the report by the Traveller Movement entitled Disrupting the school to prison pipeline, published in July 2022.

Nick Gibb: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.The Department recognises the issues faced by Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller pupils and how education can make a positive difference. The Department is responding to the seven recommendations in the report.The report recommended that the Department must ensure a race equality and diversity policy is made a statutory element of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) for all schools. Already the PSED requires public bodies, including maintained schools and academies, to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010.Schools have specific legal duties to publish information to demonstrate how they are complying with the PSED, and to prepare and publish equality objectives. Schools are also required to publish information relating to those who share a relevant protected characteristic and who are affected by their policies and practices. The Department has published guidance for schools on how to ensure they comply with their duties under the Equality Act.The report recommended that all schools must have the ability and resources to provide assessment of Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, when requested by a parent or guardian, including annual reviews. It also recommended Local Authorities should consider providing base level EHC plans funding to all schools.On 2 March 2023, the Department published the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan in response to the Green Paper. The Improvement Plan outlines the approach for the successful implementation of these policy reforms, including proposals for EHC plan reform. The Department will develop reformed templates and guidance to deliver a nationally consistent EHC plan process which makes greater use of digital technology, with the aim to increase consistency and the speed with which support is put in place.The report also recommended that the Department should require all school and academy trusts to establish an On-Site Inclusion Unit (OSIU). In July 2022, the Department published updated guidance on behaviour in schools and suspension and permanent exclusion statutory guidance. The behaviour guidance makes clear some schools can choose to have pupil support units (sometimes called ‘in school units’) which should be used to provide planned pastoral support for vulnerable pupils and as a last resort measure to support pupils at risk of exclusion.Additionally, the report recommended that expert head teacher panels should be established to provide final assessments for proposed permanent exclusions and the department should develop standardised guidance for use of in school exclusionary practices and reporting guidelines for monitoring their use.The updated exclusion guidance is clear that, in all cases, schools should consider initial intervention to address underlying causes of disruptive behaviour which may minimise the need for permanent exclusion. Whilst a permanent exclusion may still be an appropriate sanction, schools should take account of any contributing factors.The statutory process to review school exclusions is clear that governing boards have a role to review the decision of the head teacher to permanently exclude and if the governing board decides to uphold the permanent exclusion, the parents have the right to an Independent Review Panel.

Students: Loans

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of removing interest on student loans.

Robert Halfon: The student finance and funding system must provide value for money for all at a time of rising costs. It is important that a sustainable student finance system is in place, that is both fair to students and fair to taxpayers. Interest is an important part of this. If interest payments were removed, it would increase the burden to the taxpayer. In 2022/23 student loan interest reduced public sector net debt by around £4.8 billion according to published data from Spring 23 OBR Economic Outlook. The government has no plans to remove interest rates on student loans.New students who start courses on or after 1 August 2023, will receive their loans on new Plan 5 terms. Students with Plan 5 loans will benefit from a reduction in the interest rate to RPI only. This change ensures that borrowers on the new Plan 5 terms will not repay more than they originally borrowed over the lifetime of their loans, when adjusted for inflation.Repayments are calculated as a fixed percentage of earnings above the relevant repayment threshold and do not change as a result of the interest rate charged or the amount borrowed.The student finance system continues to protect lower earners and borrowers who experience a reduction in their income. If a borrower’s income drops, so does the amount they repay. If income is below the relevant repayment threshold, or a borrower is not earning, then they do not have to make repayments at all. Any outstanding debt, including interest accrued, is written off after the loan term ends, or in case of death or disability, at no detriment to the borrower.The department is freezing maximum tuition fees for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years. This benefits student borrowers directly. By 2024/25, maximum fees will have been frozen for seven years. We believe that a continued fee freeze achieves the best balance between ensuring that the system remains financially sustainable, offering good value for the taxpayer and reducing debt levels for students in real terms.

Primary Education: Assessments

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of reforming Statutory Assessments in primary schools.

Nick Gibb: Primary assessments play a crucial role in supporting pupils’ basic understanding of reading, writing and mathematics, and to prepare pupils for secondary school. They allow parents and schools to understand pupils’ achievements in relation to the age related attainment expectations outlined in the National Curriculum.In 2017, the Department carried out a consultation into primary assessment in England, with the aim of creating a settled policy in this area. The consultation received over 4,000 responses from a diverse range of backgrounds and specialisms, providing a broad and informed range of views. The Rochford review consultation took place in parallel. In total it received 594 submissions. The Government response was published in September 2017, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/primary-school-pupil-assessment-rochford-review-recommendations.The reform programme was designed to bring higher standards to primary assessment and to put in place an assessment system that helps teachers and head teachers help all children to succeed. The Department has reached the end of the programme of reform to the current primary assessment system that followed these consultations and has no current plans to undertake further major reform. The Department will continue to engage with schools, unions, and other stakeholders to understand their views on assessment.The Department remains committed to producing and publishing school level accountability measures, using full cohort assessment data, which provide important information to support parents when choosing schools. The Department keeps all school performance measures under review and welcomes feedback on how they can be further improved.

Teachers: Employment

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the number of teachers employed in state schools who deliver for-profit tutoring services.

Nick Gibb: Information on the school workforce in England, including subjects taught in state funded secondary schools, is collected as part of the annual School Workforce Census each November. Information is published in the ‘School Workforce in England’ statistical publication, available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.Information on the number of teachers delivering for profit tutoring services is not collected by the Department.There are no contractual restrictions on teachers having more than one job, as long as there is no detrimental impact on the teacher’s ability to deliver their contractual obligations and responsibilities. These would need to be negotiated between the individual teacher and their employer.

Ministry of Defence

Hercules Aircraft

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any RAF C-130 Hercules aircraft have been sold for disposal.

James Cartlidge: Yes. The managed drawdown of the C-130J Hercules fleet has been ongoing since 2017. A number of airframes have already been disposed of to the Bangladesh Air Force, Royal Brunei Armed Forces and United States Navy.

Ukraine: Military Aid

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times have urgent capability requirements been used since 24 February 2022 in relation to support sent to Ukraine and restocking British Armed Forces.

James Cartlidge: Rather than the urgent capability requirements (UCR) process, Defence has established a bespoke team to manage the procurement or granting-in-kind of equipment to Ukraine. For the restocking of equipment granted-in-kind from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) inventory a bespoke approach is used according to the nature of the equipment and the MOD's replenishment priorities. The UCR process remains in place for other operations worldwide.

Merlin Helicopters: Early Warning Systems

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his plans are for the future of the Crowsnest AEW helicopter programme.

James Cartlidge: Under current plans, CROWSNEST will achieve Initial Operating Capability by autumn 2023 and remain in service until December 2029.

Ministry of Defence: Water

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on achieving water neutrality on his Department’s estate.

James Cartlidge: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is working to achieve water neutrality by abstracting ground water from bore holes. MOD has also implemented a policy requirement that all new build and major refurbishment projects in water stressed areas must incorporate rainwater or grey water systems to reduce water abstraction demand, unless there are overriding technical or operational reasons.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on the security of domestic energy supplied from offshore wind farms in the UK’s (a) territorial waters and (b) Exclusive Economic Zone in the next five years.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Ministry of Defence constantly monitors activity within UK waters and its Economic Exclusion Zone to counter and deter detected threats, including to our subsea and offshore energy infrastructure. British warships frequently patrol throughout the UK Economic Exclusion Zone and are routed through the North Sea where possible, to further increase surveillance of offshore oil and gas installations. I have not met with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on these topics but Defence officials at all levels are working closely with their counterparts across Government to support the development of the UK energy security policy and its implementation. This collaboration ranges from innovation to unlock the development of the offshore wind capacity to Defence’s developing its own internal response to energy resilience.

Ukraine: Military Aid

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an estimate of the proportion of military aid that the UK has supplied to Ukraine that has been resold before reaching the frontline.

James Heappey: We have robust procedures in place to ensure that all equipment and munitions routed through the International Donor Coordination Centre are handed over to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.While there have been isolated reports, the diversion of equipment gifted to Ukraine away from the front line, is extremely rare.

Military Bases: Sales

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the DEO Disposal Timeline 2023, if he will publish the disposal dates of (a) Fitzwygram House, (b) Kneller Hall, (c) Middlewick Ranges, (d) Thornhill Barracks, (e) Meadowforth Barracks, (f) Swansea Airport, (g) Moat House, (h) DIO Aldershot, (i) Lodge Hill, (j) DIO Warrington, (k) DIO Head Office, Sutton Coldfield, (l) Deverell Barracks, (m) Athena House, (n) Joint Supply Chain Services Longmoor, (o) Defence Support Group, Colchester and (p) Forthside Stirling.

James Cartlidge: Details on the disposal of these sites are shown in the following table: SiteDate of disposalFitzwygram HouseTransferred to a Land Sales Delivery Partner in 2011Kneller Hall2021Middlewick RangesClosed and due to be marketed in 2023Thornhill BarracksRetainedMeadowforth BarracksRetainedSwansea Airport2016Moat HouseTransferred to a Land Sales Delivery Partner in 2017DIO AldershotTransferred to a Land Sales Delivery Partner in 2018Lodge Hill2018DIO Warrington2021DIO Head Office, Sutton Coldfield2021Deverell BarracksVacant and pending transfer to Homes EnglandAthena House2021Joint Supply Chain Services LongmoorTransferred to a Land Sales Delivery Partner in 2018Defence Support Group, Colchester2022Forthside StirlingTo be sold as part of Stirling City Deal in 2023

Military Bases: Sales

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's Defence Estate Optimisation Disposal Timeline 2023, what are the projected disposal dates of (a) HMS Sultan, (b) Southwick Park, (c) St David’s Barracks, (d) Carver Barracks, (e) Dishforth Barracks, (f) Glencorse Barracks, (g) RAF Alconbury, (h) Defence Geographic Centre, Feltham, (i) Clayton Barracks, (j) Sennybridge Storage Compound and (k) JSCS Ashchurch (East).

James Cartlidge: The retention of Southwick Park, St David’s Barracks, Carver Barracks, Dishforth Barracks, Glencorse Barracks and Sennybridge Storage Compound was announced in Parliament in November 2021 to support the delivery of Future Soldier. The retention of HMS Sultan was confirmed in November 2022; and the retention of RAF Alconbury at the request of the US Visiting Forces was confirmed in March 2021. Details as to the disposal of DGC Feltham is listed on the Defence Disposal Database; Clayton Barracks was transferred to a Land Sales Delivery Partner (LSDP) for onwards disposal with Fitzwygram House, and JSCS Ashchurch (East) was transferred to a LSDP in 2019.

AWACS: Procurement

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department is contractually obliged to pay for all five MESA radars originally ordered for the UK E-7 Wedgetail programme.

James Cartlidge: At the time of the Integrated Review decision to reduce the scope of the UK E-7 Wedgetail programme from five to three aircraft, the MESA (Multi-Role Electronically Scanned Array) radars for aircraft four and five were in production. It was decided that production and delivery of all five MESA radars would continue as planned, allowing a saving/offset of initial procurement and sustainment spares from the overall programme cost.

Merlin Helicopters: Early Warning Systems

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the expenditure to date on the Crowsnest AEW helicopter programme is.

James Cartlidge: As at 31 March 2023, the Crowsnest programme has accrued £414 million. This is within the original approved whole life budget for the programme of £459 million.

Merlin Helicopters: Early Warning Systems

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Crowsnest AEW helicopters are on order by his Department.

James Cartlidge: There are no CROWSNEST AEW helicopters on order. Rather the CROWSNEST capability is designed to be fitted to each of the Royal Navy's existing Merlin Mark 2 helicopters.

Merlin Helicopters: Early Warning Systems

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the most recent estimated initial operating capability for the Crowsnest AEW helicopter programme.

James Cartlidge: On current plans, the Initial Operating Capability for CROWSNEST will be achieved by autumn 2023.

Merlin Helicopters: Early Warning Systems

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Merlin helicopters owned by his Department are (a) in active service, (b) held in reserve and (c) undergoing conversion as part of the Crowsnest AEW helicopter programme.

James Cartlidge: The Department has 30 Merlin Mark 2 helicopters operated by the Royal Navy and 25 Merlin Mark4/4A helicopters operated by the Commando Helicopter Force. A proportion of these airframes will be undergoing planned extended maintenance at any given time.We do not comment on the number of aircraft active or in maintenance at any specific time, as to do so would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. None are held in reserve.Regarding the number undergoing CROWSNEST conversion, I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to him by my predecessor on 13 December 2022 to Question number 102826.Merlin Helicopters: Early Warning Systems (docx, 17.9KB)

Puma Helicopters

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Puma helicopters (a) are in (i) active service and (ii) storage and (b) were sold for disposal in the last five years.

James Cartlidge: The Department has a fleet of 23 Puma HC2 aircraft, of which 17 are in active service with six platforms in long term storage. There have been no disposals in the last five years.

Defence Equipment

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish a list of Urgent Capability Requirements within his Department.

James Cartlidge: The Ministry of Defence does not comment on specific Urgent Capability Requirements (UCRs) given their direct link with ongoing operations and the opportunity this information would present to an adversary as a result.

Lynx Helicopters

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Lynx helicopters are in (a) active service and (b) storage.

James Cartlidge: Defence no longer has any Lynx helicopters in its fleet.

Apache AH-64 helicopters

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many AH-64E Apache helicopters are (a) in active service, (b) on order and (c) in storage.

James Cartlidge: 28 aircraft are in active service, a further 19 are on order, and three are in storage (to become active on completion of their Baseline Military Airworthiness).

Department for Business and Trade

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2023 to Question 181604 on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, whether trade unions have powers to raise formal challenges to alleged labour abuses under the Agreement’s dispute mechanism.

Nigel Huddleston: The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Labour Chapter is subject to the dispute resolution mechanism contained in Chapter 28 (Dispute Settlement). The dispute settlement mechanism concerns state-to-state dispute settlement, and so it does not permit non-government bodies, including trade unions, to raise a dispute under its provisions.However, Chapter 28 and the Rules of Procedure for Dispute Settlement provide that non-governmental entities may submit views on a dispute brought under the Agreement. This is subject to the conditions set out in the CPTPP.

Exports and Imports: Furs

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the EU Retained Law Bill on the Government's policies on the (a) import and (b) export of (i) cat and (ii) dog fur.

Nigel Huddleston: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given by my Rt. Hon Friend, the Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries to the Hon. Member for Ealing Central and Acton on 29th March 2023, UIN 171496.

Holiday Leave: Pay

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to help ensure that all eligible workers are paid holiday pay.

Kevin Hollinrake: Almost all workers are entitled to statutory paid annual leave. The government has produced guidance for employers and workers on how holiday pay should be calculated. If workers feel that they are being denied their holiday pay, they should speak to their employer or to Acas for free and impartial advice on employment matters. Workers can also make a complaint to an Employment Tribunal.

Housing: Construction

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she plans to build the supply chain capacity for house building.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The Government has stated its commitment to increasing supply chain capacity, productivity and efficiency, through the use of offsite construction techniques for housing and other types of buildings and infrastructure. This is set out in Transforming Infrastructure Performance: Roadmap to 2020, and the Construction Playbook.Through the Transforming Construction Challenge, the Government invested in a number of housing-related R&D projects to increase the capacity and quality of housing delivery, including the Advanced Industrialised Methods for the Construction of Homes (AIMCH), Futureproof and Stellar, with a range of firms, housing associations and academic partners.

Business: Internet

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Government is taking steps to help protect businesses from harmful fake online reviews.

Kevin Hollinrake: Yes. The Government introduced the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Bill on 25 April. The DMCC Bill includes a delegated power to amend the list of automatically unfair practices in the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. The Government will consult on the use of this power during bill passage with a view to adding practices related to fake and misleading reviews to the list of automatically unfair practices. This will give greater clarity to business on their responsibilities in relation to consumer reviews and allow enforcers to take effective action quickly.

Consumer Goods: Safety

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate her Department has made of the number of (a) non-compliant and (b) unsafe toys sold by third parties through the online marketplace supply chain in the UK; and when she plans to publish the Product Safety Review.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government is aware of concerns relating to non-compliant and unsafe toys sold by third parties through online marketplaces. Although we have not made an assessment of specific numbers, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has acted, including increasing border checks and test purchasing and assessment of goods available on-line.OPSS is tackling the most serious cases by requiring recalls and takedowns and where necessary, taking enforcement action to prevent unsafe products from being made available to UK consumers. I and senior officials have held meetings with the major on-line marketplaces demanding they take more action to fulfil their responsibilities for supplying safe goods.Our Product Safety Review, including proposals to tackle unsafe products being sold through online marketplaces, is being finalised and will be published shortly.

Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security Benefits: Chronic Illnesses and Disability

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the responses to his Department's consultation on shaping future support: the health and disability green paper are publicly available.

Tom Pursglove: During the consultation, we heard the views of more than 4,500 people and organisations, and discussed our proposals at over 40 public events. We responded to the results of this consultation through Transforming Support: The Health and Disability White Paper on 15th March 2023. Our White Paper explains what we had heard and how the responses to our Green Paper consultation shaped the development of our proposals.  We will continue to work with disabled people and their representatives as we develop the proposals set out in the White Paper.

Personal Independence Payment: Artificial Intelligence

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has used artificial intelligence technologies to review Personal Independence Payment applications.

Tom Pursglove: Artificial intelligence technologies have not been used in DWP to review Personal Independence Payment applications.

Access to Work Programme

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April to Question 180270 on Access to Work Programme, whether his Department has made an assessment of the reason for the significant increase in Access to Work applications between 2020-21 and 2022-23.

Tom Pursglove: The increase is likely to be for a variety of reasons, e.g. more people being aware of Access to Work, use of the Health Adjustments Passport and the wider government agenda of supporting more disabled people into work. More information will be in the Access to Work official statistics published in Autumn 2023.

Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the policy paper entitled Transforming Support: The Health and Disability White Paper, published on 15 March 2023, what evidence his Department took into consideration when assessing whether the (a) 20-metre rule and (b) other criteria within the Personal Independence Payment mobility assessment were the best way of identifying people whose physical mobility is most limited.

Tom Pursglove: Transforming Support: The Health and Disability White Paper responds to feedback from The Health and Disability Green Paper consultation and sets out proposals to support more disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay, and succeed in work, as well as to improve the overall experience of, and trust in, the benefits system. We will continue to work with disabled people, people with health conditions, and their representatives, to reach the important goals set out in the White Paper. We believe the current Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment criteria, including the 20-metre rule, are the best way of identifying people whose physical mobility is most limited and there are no immediate plans to make changes. The enhanced rate of the PIP mobility component was always intended to be for those "unable" or "virtually unable" to walk. The 20-metre distance was introduced to distinguish those whose mobility is significantly more limited than others and who face even greater barriers on a day-to-day basis. Individuals who can walk more than 20 metres can still receive the enhanced rate of the mobility component if they cannot do so safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly or in a reasonable time period.

Employment: Musculoskeletal Disorders

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much he plans to spend on improving musculoskeletal health to reduce worklessness in the next five year]; and what aspects of musculoskeletal health he plans to spend that funding on.

Tom Pursglove: In the spring budget the government set out a package of measures to provide an extra £406 million over the next five years to tackle the leading health-related causes keeping people out of work, which includes investment targeted at services for musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. The government will pilot integrating vocational advice within MSK services to ensure people can access holistic support locally, scale up MSK Hubs in the community and ensure digital resources, such as apps for management of MSK conditions, are readily available so that more people can easily and quickly access the support that is right for them.

Department of Health and Social Care

Medical Equipment: Procurement

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on patient safety of limiting the procurement of single-use medical devices due to the weighting on net zero within NHS procurement decisions.

Will Quince: Medical device purchasing decisions are made by individual National Health Service organisations. Decisions are made using frameworks setting out a standardised set of core requirements that include those related to patient safety. NHS England maintains a variety of published guidance using the latest evidence, including on the sterilisation and decontamination of reusable medical equipment and the use of single-use equipment.

NHS: Staff

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to include plans to increase the number of rheumatology (a) consultants and (b) clinical nurse specialists in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.

Will Quince: To support the workforce as a whole we have commissioned NHS England to develop a long term workforce plan, which will include independently verified forecasts for the number of healthcare professionals required in future years for the whole of the National Health Service workforce. It will not provide detailed workforce assessments for individual services or staff groups.As of January 2023, there are 694 consultants working in the rheumatology specialism in NHS trusts and commissioning bodies in England. This is an increase of 19 since last year.

NHS: Staff

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many applications there were to NHS reservist roles in each of the last five years; and how many active NHS reservists there were in each of the last five years.

Will Quince: At the end of 2021, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, tasked NHS England with rolling out the NHS Reserve across England as an additional flexible workforce model to support the National Health Service in times of emergency, surge and in times of need. The NHS Reserve was a new model which went live to all integrated care boards (ICBs) across England in April 2022. This is an ICB-led workforce model in which individuals can support the NHS with a variety of paid roles dependant on local need.Applications were not monitored in the first year, due to programme setup. The headcount for 2022/23 was 5,826. Applications for 2023/24 currently are 2,105. The total NHS Reserve headcount is 7,838 currently. Since the launch of the programme, the NHS Reserve has delivered over 235,000 care hours to support patients.

Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access

Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether medicines funded under the Innovative Medicines Fund will be included in the calculation of that company's rebate under the Voluntary Pricing Scheme for Branded Medicines (VPAS).

Will Quince: The Innovative Medicines Fund (IMF) builds on the successful Cancer Drugs Fund and will support patient access to the most promising new medicines while further evidence is collected on their use to address clinical uncertainty.Funding for the IMF is allocated from NHS England budgets. Unless specifically exempt under scheme rules, sales of products within the IMF are included in measured sales when calculating sales growth used to set the voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing and access payment percentage each year and included in eligible sales used to calculate the amount owed by the relevant scheme member each quarter.

Ovarian Cancer: Screening

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department  plans to provide for research into screening for ovarian cancer in financial year 2023-24.

Will Quince: The Department invests in health research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). As with other Government funders of health research, the NIHR does not allocate funding for specific disease areas.The level of research spend in a particular area is driven by factors including scientific potential and the number and scale of successful funding applications. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including screening for ovarian cancer.However, it is worth noting that the NIHR has funded six research projects into screening for ovarian cancer since 2018, with a combined total funding value of £3.8 million. The NIHR also supports delivery in the health and care system for screening for ovarian cancer research funded by research funding partners in the charity and public sectors.

NHS: Protective Clothing

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what is the (a) number and (b) value of contracts for personal protective equipment for which his Department (i) has brought and (ii) plans to bring legal action against the supplier due to quality issues; and how many of those suppliers have been excluded from taking part in public procurement.

Will Quince: The Department has continued to place quarterly update reports in the libraries of both Houses. These reports include information from the Department’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Contracts Dissolution Team and provide an update on progress made by the team, with the most recent being placed on 16 March 2023. The March update reported that the Department had reduced the number of contested PPE contracts from 176 to 60, with an associated value at risk reduced from £2.6 billion to £1.6 billion.The Department has brought one legal action against one supplier for a contract to the value of £122 million. The other contested contracts are currently under investigation and may or may not result in legal proceedings. Procurement exclusion decisions are made on a case-by-case basis against the criteria set out in Regulation 57 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and are taken by contracting authorities when bidders have applied to participate in a procurement exercise.The supplier against which legal action has been taken by the Department has not participated in any subsequent procurement exercises undertaken by the Department, and therefore no exclusion has been exercised.

Treasury

Unpaid Taxes

James Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2023 to Question 165453 on Taxation: Fines, how many penalties issued by HM Revenue and Customs recorded on the National Penalty Processing System for Offshore Penalty: Failure to Correct amounted to £1,000,000 or above in each of the last five years.

Victoria Atkins: I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given to Parliamentary Question UIN 182714 on 4 May 2023.

Unpaid Taxes

James Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2023 to Question 165453 on Taxation: Fines, how many penalties issued by HM Revenue and Customs which are recorded on the National Penalty Processing System for Offshore Penalty: Failure to Correct amounted to less than £1,000 in each of the last five years.

Victoria Atkins: The National Penalty Processing System (NPPS) is used by HMRC to record certain types of information. NPPS is a standalone system for these purposes only. It is not used to record all penalties charged by HMRC across all of its compliance or wider activities. NPPS does not exclusively hold data relating to ‘Offshore Penalty: Failure to Correct’.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Packaging: Recycling

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason the introduction of modulated fees for Extended Producer Responsibility has been put back until 2025.

Rebecca Pow: The Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) summary of consultation responses and Government response published in March 2022 states that modulated fees will be introduced from 2025. As producer fees rates are set based on the tonnages of packaging they supplied in the previous year, introducing fee modulation in the first year of pEPR implementation would not have been technically feasible and would not have left enough time for producers to make more sustainable decisions when designing or purchasing packaging. The introduction of modulated fees in 2025 will ensure that producers and the Scheme Administrator are fully prepared for the introduction of this measure.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Finance

Mr Ranil Jayawardena: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the due diligence process used by her Department when awarding financial grants.

Mark Spencer: All parts of Defra group are required to follow the Government Grants Functional Standard, including undertaking fraud risk assessments, due diligence checks and performance monitoring of grant awards. Proportionate but effective controls are implemented for all schemes to prevent and detect fraud and error. Control results are extrapolated using statistical methods to estimate the level of irregularity for a number of the departments most significant grant schemes. The National Audit Office reports on the regularity of scheme expenditure in its audits of the accounts of Defra group and its arm’s length bodies.

Sewage: Waste Disposal

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to hold water companies to account for repeated and illegal discharges of untreated wastewater.

Rebecca Pow: On 25 April, we announced a legally binding target to crackdown on sewage spills from storm overflows. We are monitoring water companies and will take action wherever necessary. We have boosted funding for the Environment Agency with £2.2 million per year specifically for water company enforcement activity so that robust action is taken against illegal breaches of storm overflow permits. We are currently consulting on plans to reform the civil penalties the Environment Agency (EA) can issue. The consultation covers raising the cap on penalties and making it easier and quicker to issue fines where companies breach regulations but the threshold for criminal prosecution has not been met. This consultation closes on 15 May.

Pets: Shops

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the impact of (a) online competition, (b) rising costs and (c) licensing requirements on pet shops.

Rebecca Pow: Under the Licensing of Activities Involving Animals Regulations 2018 (the 2018 Regulations), anyone who is in the business of selling animals as pets needs a valid licence from their local authority. Licensees must meet strict statutory minimum welfare standards which are enforced by local authorities who have powers to issue, refuse or revoke licences. Online sellers and traditional pet shops are accordingly held to a fair regulatory standard. The Government has been providing energy cost support to businesses, including pet shops; first through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme and now through the Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS). The EBDS will run until 31 March 2024 for eligible non-domestic consumers in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. My Department is currently conducting a post implementation review of the 2018 Regulations. Among other things, this will assess whether there could be scope for improvements to the regulation of the sale of pets.

Sewage: Waste Disposal

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is planning to take steps to hold water companies to account by publishing wastewater discharge volumes.

Rebecca Pow: Water and sewerage companies have published Event and Duration Monitoring (EDM) data of sewage discharges annually since 2020 that can be found here.

Sewage: Waste Disposal

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to reduce (a) microplastic wastewater discharges and (b) illegal wastewater discharges.

Rebecca Pow: The UK Water Industry Research project (performed by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology) reported in April 2022 that wastewater treatment plants remove 99% of microplastics by number and 99.5% by mass. We will not let companies get away with illegal activity and where breaches are found, we will not hesitate to hold companies to account. We have boosted funding for the Environment Agency (EA) with £2.2 million per year specifically for water company enforcement activity so that robust action is taken against illegal breaches of storm overflow permits. We are consulting on increasing the scope of penalties and maximum penalty the EA can impose on water companies damaging the environment. This consultation closes on 15 May.

Pets: Prizes

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what legislation applies to the distribution of pets as prizes in England; and what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of that legislation.

Rebecca Pow: In England and Wales, the Animal Welfare Act 2006 prohibits the sale of an animal or the transfer of an animal as a prize to anyone under the age of 16 years old and ensures that any person winning an animal as a prize is obliged to provide for its welfare. We consider these restrictions to be balanced and proportionate.

Food: Prices

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the number of farmers on food prices.

Mark Spencer: Data from Defra’s June survey shows that the number of farmers in the UK (includes farmers, business partners, directors and spouses) increased by 0.4% from 300,629 to 301,834 between 2021 and 2022. This number has fluctuated year on year but is at the highest level seen in over a decade. Consumer food prices depend on a range of factors including agri-food import prices, domestic agricultural prices, domestic labour and manufacturing costs, and Sterling exchange rates. Tackling inflation is this Government’s number one priority, with a plan to more than halve inflation this year, and we are monitoring all key agricultural commodities so that we can work with the food industry to address the challenges they face.

Supermarkets: Profits

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of profits earned by large supermarket chains during the rising cost of living.

Mark Spencer: Defra has regular discussions with food retailers about a range of issues, including the impact of food price inflation. UK supermarket profit margins have historically been low with their business model relying on increasing volumes, not margins, to increase profits. Recently discount retailers, who aim to keep prices low and increase their market share, have pressured margins even further.Profit margins were around 3% in 2021. Recently, prices have increased throughout the supply chain. ONS data provides no evidence that recent increases in consumer food price inflation have been disproportionate compared to increases in input prices paid by food manufacturers or producer prices paid by retailers. We have no reason to believe that supermarket profit margins have significantly increased recently but Defra remains interested in the trends emerging from data released by the sector.

Food: Prices

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had discussions with representatives of (a) supermarket chains and (b) retail associations on restraining price increases on essential food items.

Mark Spencer: Defra meets regularly with food retailers and trade associations to discuss a range of issues, including the impact of food inflation. Whilst my Department is taking action to maintain an efficient food supply chain by mitigating against any potential burdens or friction which could otherwise drive-up consumer food prices, we continue to use regular engagement to work with retailers and producers to explore the range of measures they can take to ensure the availability of affordable food. For example, by maintaining value ranges, price matching and price freezing measures. However, it is not for HM Government to set retail food prices nor to comment on day-to-day commercial decisions by companies.

Food: EU Law

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Retained EU Law Bill, whether she plans to (a) retain, (b) replace or (c) reproduce regulations relating to (i) food hygiene, (ii) food labelling and (iii) food marketing.

Mark Spencer: In reviewing retained EU law (REUL), HM Government’s aim is to ensure that food law is fit for purpose and the UK regulatory framework is appropriate and tailored to the needs of UK consumers and business. The UK has world leading standards on food marketing, food safety and quality, backed by a rigorous legislative framework but it is only right that we should evaluate REUL to ensure it continues to meet our needs. While this is an opportunity for review, maintaining the UK’s high food standards remains our priority. HM Government remains committed to delivering informative food labelling and promoting robust food standards nationally and internationally, to protect consumer interests, facilitate international trade, and ensure that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy. As the Department responsible for food hygiene, the Food Standards Agency (working with Food Standards Scotland) is participating in the review of all retained EU law within its responsibilities. Neither consumer safety nor the ability of business to trade during this review will be compromised.

Waste Disposal: Northern Ireland

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has sought legal advice on (a) the extent to which Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No.1013/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2006 on Shipments of Waste will be binding on movements of waste from Great Britain for processing by companies based in Northern Ireland under the Protocol as amended by the Windsor Framework, (b) the date on which those requirements would come into effect, (c) the extent to which obligations will fall on those sending waste from Great Britain to Northern Ireland under the Regulation and (d) the extent to which obligations will fall on waste processing companies in Northern Ireland receiving the waste from Great Britain under the Regulation.

Rebecca Pow: Defra officials are working with colleagues across Government on the implementation of the Windsor Framework, including with regard to movements of waste. We will update businesses on the implications as soon as possible.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Cultural Heritage: Government Assistance

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support people working in the heritage sector.

Julia Lopez: The workforce and volunteers in our cherished heritage sector are critical to preserving our rich heritage for the benefit of future generations, and sharing it with the widest audience.In November 2022, Historic England convened a cross-sector Heritage Skills Forum to provide a collective view of the skills challenges facing the sector, and to prioritise action to tackle them. Focusing on the longer term, DCMS public bodies are nurturing a skills pipeline to help preserve vital skills in the sector through training and apprenticeships programmes. For instance, a £4.3 million grant from The Hamish Ogston Foundation is generously helping to fund a heritage apprenticeship programme across the North of England delivered by Historic England.The COVID-19 pandemic created a unique challenge to the sector, with many heritage professionals unable to work. To support people and organisations in the face of this challenge, HM Government delivered the unprecedented £1.57 billion Cultural Recovery Fund. This included the Heritage Stimulus Fund, which supported over 700 historic sites, allowing them to restart vital construction and maintenance projects and to preserve heritage visitor attractions. The Heritage Stimulus Fund also helped to establish a pipeline for skilled craftspeople and heritage construction.Recent and ongoing challenges such as the rising cost of living and energy prices have created additional pressures for many heritage organisations. The Government has provided support through the Energy Bills Discount Scheme and with additional support to Energy and Trade Intensive Industries. This support will ensure that various sector employers are protected from the impact of higher energy bills and are able to remain operational and financially resilient, providing greater security to the workers they employ.Ministers regularly engage with people working across the sector to show our appreciation for the work they do, and to hear how else we can support them.

Swimming Pools: Government Assistance

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how charity-run swimming pools should apply for the additional funding announced at the Spring Budget 2023.

Stuart Andrew: We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to swimming pools, as swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. The responsibility of providing this access lies at Local Authority level, and the Government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support swimming facilities.At the Budget, we announced a dedicated £63 million support package for swimming pools, which is targeted at addressing cost pressures facing public swimming pool providers. It will also help provide investment in energy efficiency measures to reduce future operating costs and make facilities sustainable in the long-term.Details of the eligibility process will be published shortly, however, this fund will focus on those public swimming pool providers whose cost pressures are most acute, leaving them most vulnerable to closure. The Government intends for community and charitable trusts to be eligible to receive this funding. Sport England will manage a competitive application process and set out further detail on eligibility shortly.

Musicians: EU Countries

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the number of music groups from EU countries that have been scheduled to tour the UK in the last year but that have been refused entry due to immigration rules.

Julia Lopez: Border Force, responsible for securing the UK border by carrying out immigration and customs controls for people and goods entering the UK, do not hold statistics on music groups specifically.This Government is committed to supporting the UK’s creative industries, including musicians, to adapt to new arrangements with the EU. Our immigration system continues to support the thriving cultural life of the UK. We have been working, and will continue to work, with the creative sectors to understand whether and how the visitor system can be further simplified.The UK’s rules for touring creative professionals are comparatively more generous than in many EU Member States. The UK’s domestic rules allow musicians, entertainers and artists (and their technical staff) from non-visa national countries, such as EU Member States and the US, to perform in the UK without requiring a visa, and the UK does not have work permits.Border Force Officers undertake training on an ongoing basis to ensure the Immigration Rules are upheld and applied consistently.Sector specific guidance on creative professionals from non-visa national countries, including the EU and the US, visiting the UK for performance and work has been published by DCMS on GOV.UK can be found in the ‘Visiting the UK as a creative professional from a non-visa national country guidance’ on GOV.UK.

Local Broadcasting

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made a comparative assessment of the importance of (a) local and (b) regional television and radio broadcasts for local communities.

Julia Lopez: The Government recognises the role that both regional and local broadcasting can play in delivering types of public service content highly valued by local communities.On a local level, the BBC, local TV providers and commercial and community radio stations all play a crucial role in disseminating accurate news and local information, strengthening pride of place, reflecting the unique interests of the audiences that they serve, connecting communities, and helping to address social issues like loneliness and mental health.These local services are supplemented by further services delivered at a regional level by broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, STV, and commercial radio providers. Regional services continue to be highly valued by audiences, particularly in relation to their news and current affairs programming, though the Government recognises that they are unable to offer the same type and range of targeted content as genuinely local services.Ofcom is required to undertake regular analysis of key trends in the media sector, particularly how audiences are served across, and in different parts of, the UK. That data is used by Ofcom to inform their ongoing regulation of public service media providers, and also informs DCMS’s policy around the ongoing provision of local and regional media.

Department for Transport

Roads: Greater London

Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the funding provided to each London borough by Transport for London for the maintenance of the principal road network in (a) the 2023-24 financial year and (b) the last five financial years.

Mr Richard Holden: Since the start of the pandemic, the Government has supported TfL with over £6bn in grant funding. However, transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London, so decisions on money spent on road maintenance in London is for the Mayor and TfL to make. Therefore, the Department does not hold information on the money provided to each London borough via TfL.

Scotland Office

Sortition Foundation: Scotland

Mr Ranil Jayawardena: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Scottish Parliament awarding funds to the Sortition Foundation.

Mr Alister Jack: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is responsible for decisions on the parliamentary budget. The Body is chaired by the Presiding Officer and includes four elected Members of the Scottish Parliament. Its expenditure is authorised through the Scottish Government Budget Bill and is paid from the Scottish Consolidated Fund. The Auditor General for Scotland, the Accounts Commission, and Audit Scotland work together to deliver public audits in Scotland.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Tech Nation

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of Tech Nation.

Paul Scully: The Department's assessment of Tech Nation is focused on the effectiveness of activities that were paid for with government grant funding, rather than on the organisation as a whole. To this end, robust monitoring and evaluation processes were in place throughout the grant-funded period to ensure taxpayers’ money was spent properly and responsibly.In addition to monthly and quarterly monitoring, we undertook independent evaluations of our grant to Tech Nation, as per Government requirements. The most recent published assessment of Tech Nation’s activities funded by the Department was published in October 2020.In November 2022, we commissioned an economic consultancy to undertake a second independent evaluation of our grant funding to Tech Nation. This evaluation will cover the 20/21-22/23 funding period and will assess the impact of the grant, in addition to capturing lessons learned from the Tech Nation programmes. The report's findings will be published in due course.We thank Tech Nation for their valuable work over the years and their lasting impact on the UK tech sector.

Semiconductors

Alan Brown: When she plans to publish her Department's semiconductor strategy.

Paul Scully: Our forthcoming National Semiconductor Strategy will set out an ambitious approach to grow the UK’s world-leading expertise in this critical sector.Developed through extensive engagement with industry experts and like-minded international partners, it will directly contribute to long-term prosperity as well as our efforts to shape the emerging global digital and technology order.We will publish our strategy as soon as possible.

Blockchain

Dr Lisa Cameron: Whether her Department is taking steps to help support the development and use of blockchain technology.

Paul Scully: In the spring 2023 Budget, the government committed to be ahead of the curve on the future of web technology, which includes Web3 and other blockchain-based technologies.My department will work to maximise the potential of Web3 and spur UK growth and innovation, alongside empowering individuals to influence how their data is used, and minimising any harms to the economy, security, and society.

Telecommunications: Costs

Dan Carden: Whether she plans to take steps with Cabinet colleagues to support families with increases in the cost of broadband and mobile phone usage.

Julia Lopez: The Government appreciates this is a difficult time for families.We have worked with industry to bring social tariffs into the market, which are available from a range of providers from £10 per month.In June, following our negotiations, the UK’s major telecoms companies agreed a set of public commitments to support households through the rise in the cost of living - including supporting customers struggling with their bills and offering ways to keep them connected.

Science and Technology: Employment

Deidre Brock: Whether she has made an assessment of the potential effect of the UK's departure from the EU on levels of employment in the science, innovation and technology sector.

George Freeman: This Government is making the UK the best place in the world to work in science, innovation and technology. Our Science and Technology Framework sets out how we will attract and retain the brightest talent, including to take advantage of the opportunities of the UK’s departure from the EU. We are working across Government and sectors to develop the best technical, innovative and entrepreneurial talent to meet the UK's science and technology superpower ambitions. I am delighted to confirm that the UK SRTI economy is creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs for the whole of the UK, which we are harnessing to create new career opportunities, nowhere more than in Scotland with Satellite City in Glasgow, gaming, and computing in Edinburgh, and many more. Since 2018, there has been a 19% increase in business R&D employment from 596,000 jobs in 2018 to 712,000 in 2021.

Ministry of Justice

Prisons

Mr Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when his Department plans to have fully implemented local regime leads across the entire prison estate through the National Regime Model.

Damian Hinds: All prisons will have a local regime lead in place by the end of 2023/24.

Prison Accommodation

Mr Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will publish its data on the average time spent out of cell in each prison in England and Wales.

Damian Hinds: The information requested for adult prisoners is not held by the Ministry of Justice as collecting it would require the detailed monitoring of cell activity in each prison establishment.There is no central mandate which governs the amount of time that prisoners should spend out of their cells. Governors are instead afforded the flexibility to deliver balanced regimes that maintain an appropriate level of time out of cell on a range of activities, including association, which meet the needs of the establishment’s population.HMPPS has introduced a Regime Dashboard which reports the percentage of prisoners receiving different levels of regime each week. We are further developing this to align to future regimes. A performance metric has also been introduced to hold prisons to account on their levels of regime delivery. Data from this are scheduled for publication in July 2023.

Prisoners' Release

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners who have received automatic halfway release for serious crimes in each year since 2010.

Damian Hinds: It is a long standing feature of the system that those convicted of the most serious offences may receive life sentences or extended determinate sentences, meaning they must serve at least two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence before being considered for release by the Parole Board. Since implementation of the Police Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, those given a standard determinate sentence of 4 years or more for the most serious sexual and violent offences, must serve two-thirds of the sentence in custody before automatic release.Offenders given standard determinate sentences for less serious offences must be released automatically at halfway.We are unable reliably to determine the number of such releases since 2010 within cost limits. To obtain an accurate, publishable figure would require linking to and manually checking hundreds of thousands of individual prisoner records and matching sentence data with data on adjudications over the 12-year period.